Accident: Praxair Flammable Gas Cylinder Fire
Location: Location: St. Louis, MO
Accident Occurred On: 06/24/2005 | Final Report Released On: 06/15/2006
Accident Type: Chemical Distribution - Fire and Explosion
Investigation Status: The Board issued a Safety Bulletin on this report at a news conference in St. Louis on June 15, 2006.
On June 24, 2005, fire swept through thousands of flammable gas cylinders at the Praxair gas repackaging plant in St. Louis, Missouri. Dozens of exploding cylinders were launched into the surrounding community and struck nearby homes, buildings, and cars, causing extensive damage and several small fires.
Communicate with your members who operate gas repackaging facilities the details of this incident and the best practices for handling and storing cylinders.
Revise CGA standards for the CG-7 relief valves used in propylene service to require: 1) a greater margin between vapor pressure and relief valve set point (similar to propane); and 2) that valves be capable of multiple operations within the specified setpoint tolerance or be furnished with an indicator that alerts users that the valve has operated.